TORNADOES. 153 



a fine mist or quite white like fog or steam. Some persons describe these Hght 

 clouds as at times apparently irridescent or glowing as if from their irregular sur- 

 faces a pale, whitish light was cast. 



The dark clouds at times present a deep greenish hue, which fairly forebodes 

 the greatest evil and leaves one to imagine quite freely of dire possibilities. 

 Again, they appear jet black from centre to circumference, or in a change of 

 form, this deep set color may only appear at the centre, gradually diminishing in 

 intensity as the outer edges of the cloud or bank of clouds are approached. 

 Sometimes these dark clouds, instead of appearing in solid and heavy masses, 

 roll up lightly, but still intensely black like the smoke from an engine or loco- 

 motive burning soft coal. They have been described as of a purple or bluish 

 tinge, or at times possessed of a strange lividness. Frequently dark green, again 

 an inky blackness that fairly startles you with its intensity. Many observers 

 are at a loss for words in which to give an adequate description of the terrible 

 scenes and simply say: "They were the worst looking clouds I ever saw, per- 

 fectly awful." Said one observer, "The clouds seemed to be boiling up like 

 muddy water, the upper surface of the cloud reminding me of the incessant eddies 

 or whirls seen in the muddiest portions of the Missouri River." Other observers 

 as follows: "I saw two whirling circles of lightish gray clouds in the west; 

 they were acting independent of each other and moved slowly inward toward 

 each other from opposite directions. The clouds were very low ; seemed to be 

 on the earth, the wind in contrary directions across the face of the western 

 sky and surrounding clouds in great confusion." "Observed clouds moving 

 in all directions, some of a dark green color, others white as steam." "The 

 lower end of the cloud was very white like fog." " I saw a great smoke, and 

 supposed at first it was a fire." "I saw a terrible cloud of a dark purplish 

 color." "There was a peculiar and terrifying look to the clouds." "I saw 

 a green looking cloud in the northwest surrounded by others not so deep set 

 in color. Under the cloud from the southwest, there came a large number 

 of little thunder-heads, some very dark but others as white as steam. They 

 seemed to be separated and running very low. I never saw clouds so low be- 

 fore. Pretty soon they began to go in all directions, some up, some down, 

 right and left, backwards and forwards. I next saw a cloud that looked even all 

 over in color and very white, the edges pretty even. It moved remarkably 

 steady and seemed to be right under the edge of the cloud from the south- 

 west." " The clouds looked as if a mosquito net had been spread out over 

 the sky." " I saw clouds tumbling over and over in terrible confusion." "I 

 noticed a strange action in the clouds and saw a cloud rolling on the ground 

 coming from the southwest." "The ground was covered with white steamy 

 looking clouds that prevented one from seeing any distance." " Two clouds, 

 one from the northwest and the other from the southwest seemed to meet, and 

 after meeting passed still lower. Above their place of meeting black smoke ap- 

 peared in very peculiar shape." "The air presented a very peculiar appearance, 

 it seemed to be in different shaded strata and quite marked." " At the bottom 



